Combination dust cap and valve cap lock for tire valves



Nov. 2, 194%. .1 DE isT'EFANo 2,453,001 v COMBINA'IION DUST CAP ANDVALVE CAP LOOK FOR TIRE VALVES Filed May 9, 1947 Fig. 4 I Fig. i.

Inventor John De Stefano Patented Nov. 2, 1948 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE I COMBINATION DUST CAP AND VALVE CAP LOOK FOR TIRE VALVES l John De Stefano, Long Island City, N. Y. Application May 9, 1947; Serial No. 747,074

6 Claims. (Cl. 13889.1)

My invention relates to combination dust caps and valve cap locks for the valves of pneumatic tires and is designed as an improvement over the valve cap lock of my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,293,808, dated August 25, 1942.

By way of explanation, in the valve cap lock of my above noted patent, a two part dust cap is provided on the valve stem with one section rotatable on the stem and a detachable section adapted to be screwed tight on the rotatable section against detachment except by means 'of the rotatable section may accidently become detached from the valve stem and lost.

Having the foregoing in mind, it is the primary object of the instantinvention to provide for securing the dust cap of my above noted patent on the valve stem of a tire independently of the valve cap and so as to prevent loss of the rotatable section when the valve cap is removed.

Another object is to provide improved means for hermetically sealing the valve closed through the use of such a dust cap.

Still another object is to eliminate, in using such a dust cap, the usual valvecap and a substitute therefore a more efficient closure for the valve removable by detaching the detachablesection of the dust cap.

Other and subordinate objects, also comprehended by my invention, together with the precise nature of my improvements and the advantages thereof, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claimsare read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a fragmentary View in vertical section, with parts shown in side elevation, of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the spring Washer;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section, with parts shown in side elevation, of a modified embodiment of my invention;

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 3 thereof, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, the usual tire valve stem I as in the case of my previously noted patcut, is encased, to the outer threaded end of the stem, in an outwardly tapering sheath 2 of rubber or the like, preferably formed on thetube,

not shown, and the dust cap 3 comprises an internally flared, metallic, sleeve section l rotatably fitted on the sheathZ with a reduced, externally threaded, outer end 5 on which is threaded a detachable, hollow, cylindrical ,sec

tion 6 of said dust cap.

According to the instant invention, an internal, outer end, flange l is provided in the rotatable section 4 fitting with a clearance around the outer threaded end of the valve stem I and resting on the outer end of the sheath 2 for a purpose presently seen,

A spring washer 8, of the type shown in Figure 3, is provided on the outer end of the valve stem lbetween the flange l and a nut 9 on said end of said stem I backed by a lock nut I II on said end of said stem. The nuts 9, IE] are set so that the spring washer 8 imposes sufficient tension against the flange l to cause said flange and the rotatable section 4 to frictionally grip the sheath 2, while permitting rotation of the dust cap 3 about said sheath.

A closure cap H is provided for the outer end of the valve stem I comprising a relativelylarger diameter rubber disk 42 backed by a metal disk l3 with right angled edge tongues M gripping the edge of said disk l2 and securingsaid disks l2, l3 together. Outstanding tongues IS on the metal disk i3, alternating with the right angled tongues l4, fit in the detachable sections 5 and center the closure cap H in said detachable section while frictionally retaining the same in said section.

A spring washer H5, in the detachable section 6, similar to the washer l, and interposed between the outer end of said section and the closure cap I l seats the rubber disk l2 against the outer end of the valve stem l as said section 6 is turned onto the reduced end 5 of the rotatable section t and permits the detachable section 8 to be turned tight on the rotatable section 4 without crushing said disk ill.

As will now be seen, in the described embodiment of the instant invention, the dust cap 3 is held on the valve stem I, considering the sheath 2 as part of said stem, by the flange l, the spring 

